‘I’m not dead yet,’ says ailing ex-Alberta premier Klein

Chronic lung condition limits oxygen to brain, affecting memory

Former Alberta premier Ralph Klein

Photograph by: Leah Hennel/Calgary Herald
, eedmotnonjournal.com

CALGARY - Former Alberta premier Ralph Klein says he struggles with remembering names and admittedly has lost a step due to his chronic lung disease, but stresses he’s still golfing and enjoying life in political retirement.

Klein’s health has deteriorated over the last year as he battles what’s called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a long-term lung condition that’s regularly referred to as emphysema and bronchitis.

The condition is usually caused by years of smoking and can damage a person’s bronchial tubes and lungs, and limit oxygen to the brain.

But Alberta’s 12th premier has a message for Albertans, who’ve come to know him simply as Ralph.

“I’m not dead yet,” Klein said with a chuckle Wednesday.

“I speak a bit slower now,” he added in a more serious tone. “My memory is gone because of a lack of oxygen.”

Business leaders and political operatives in Calgary have noted the former Alberta premier of 14 years suffers from memory loss, quickly loses his train of thought and doesn’t immediately recognize longtime friends.

Klein, 68, has also had noticeable difficulty over the last year with public speaking, something that had always come naturally.

A smoker for decades, Klein was diagnosed with the disease just over a year ago.

He has slowly scaled back his social engagements since quitting politics four years ago and is rarely seen in public.

“I’ll see someone, I know who they are but their name won’t come to mind,” Klein said. “It takes me a lot longer to remember someone’s name. That’s because I don’t get enough oxygen.”

The former Calgary mayor and television reporter said he’s currently not on oxygen, but relies on medication and inhalers to help him breathe easier.

Premier Ed Stelmach, a longtime cabinet minister in the Klein government, said he always marvelled at Klein’s ability to remember names, calling it a defining political trait.

He noticed, however, in recent months that Klein “was struggling a bit” when he did run into him at events.

“It came as a bit of a shock to hear he’s having some breathing issues,” Stelmach said. “I’m sure it’s going to slow him down quite a bit, unfortunately. I’m very sorry to hear about that.”

Stelmach remembers Klein having a regimented workout schedule both in Calgary and at the legislature.

“Age, unfortunately, catches up on all of us,” the premier added. “It is a wonderful time to reflect on Ralph’s wonderful accomplishments.”

If the former premier is seriously ill, he’s not showing it, said International and Intergovernmental Relations Minister Iris Evans, who served in Klein’s cabinet.

Klein seemed fine when Evans saw him at a holiday event 10 days ago, so she was surprised to see a media report Wednesday morning that indicated he was gravely sick.

“I suspect the most surprised person was Ralph himself and I doubt he could believe what he read,” she said.

“When I saw him, he just seemed like the man I know, enthusiastic, conversational, gentle-humoured and interested in what everybody else was doing.

“I’m sure we’ll have Ralph to know and love for many years to come.”

Following his departure from the premier’s office in late 2006, Klein initially kept up a busy schedule contributing to think-tanks, teaching at Mount Royal University, serving on company boards and doing advisory work for a law firm.

He even remained politically engaged to a degree, taking time at a couple of points last year to lament the province’s return to deficit spending and to Stelmach needed at least 70 per cent approval from Conservative party members to keep his job.

Much of that activity declined in the past 12 to 18 months, in part when it became evident Klein was having some health issues, said longtime adviser and friend Rod Love But he added the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease coincided with a time when Klein was already planning to lead a quieter lifestyle.

“About a year ago, he shut it down. He and Colleen are still in the bungalow they’ve been in for 30 years. You still see him at the Sobeys buying groceries and now they have a bunch of grandkids,” Love said.

“He’s not doing the speeches, he is not doing the public events, he’s not doing the media anymore, because he doesn’t want to. He ran hard for 30 years and now he wants to be retired and he’s doing what he wants do, which is not much.”

COPD is marked by airways becoming swollen and partly blocked by mucus, while air sacs at the tips of airways can become damaged.

“There is a limitation of air flow in and out of the lungs,” said Janis Seville director of health initiatives for the Lung Association of Alberta.

“Wheezing, shortness of breath, chronic coughing, recurrent colds. Certainly a person with COPD would be more at risk for influenza.”

She said many of those with the disease at some point require oxygen treatments at home. Seville said doctors can diagnose it with a simple test that measures how much air a patient can move out of their lungs. Early diagnosis can help improve treatment, which includes breathing exercises, physical activity, medications and quitting smoking.

Many patients live with the disease for years, Seville said.

NDP Leader Brian Mason, who engaged in many political battles with Klein, said he wished the former premier well.

“However you may judge it politically, he did make a real contribution and changed the face of Alberta politics in a number of important ways,” he said.

“He is one of the most colourful guys in Alberta political history. I certainly wish him a long and healthy retirement and hopefully he can still have some of that.”

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